Poem: Why do the children work? (answer to a question) What do you think about it? Edit all you want, please.?

Question

Why do the children work?

by Victoria Tarrani

((c) 0807.07)

What happened to the days of summer?

Happy little treasures filled with

yearning for the future of joy?

Did school disappear

on a Bangladesh day

that slipped by unnoticed?

How can we move forward without

educating the next generation?

Can labor laws protect

hatchlings in a foreign port?

I know the world is large, but

let us love one another, be one people.

Dreams and hope must be

renewed, and the little ones

educated to create and discover

new ideas and ways to stop

wars brought on by

omens of hopelessness.

Read, little ones; read and

know you can change the world.

~~~

END (aka Tori, zephyr)

Answer 1

Exploitation is ugly at he business end of the stick. The Earth will sort things out for us, since there are no brave men left.

Answer 2

I think it's right on and I wouldn't change on, it's thought provoking and tense, covers a lot, good work and keep it up.

Answer 3

Very thought provoking, Tori.

You have a variety of causes and subjects and this is within that realm.  I like your lighter poetry, but part of the price we pay for being able to exercise our sense of humor is caring about those less fortunate than we are.

I would not pretend to be able to edit this.  I have no right to dilute your passion.

Answer 4

Tori,

As much as I sympathize with you on all accounts of this horrendous wrong, I want you to also think about inner city plight that has left children behind in our own US of A. It is the other problems that exists on our very shores that our children suffer from lack of education, work and false over-esteem. Poor diets, slacker attitudes, poor posture and undiscipline has turned the Z Generation into gamers and underacheivers. We have delapidated school buildings, unsafe school zones, teachers that are being assaulted, levies that are not passed and when they do, the money is squadered on salaries. After school activities are disappearing, children have no guidance from parents or one parent! Teen violence and pregnancies on the upswing, curricular studies and testing are at an all time low and graduations rates plummeting. Our children in inter urban schools are falling by the wayside on a president's promise unkept! People are homeless from all the floods and natural disasters and yes, they have children. And we ask what each other will do while the people who are in power that could do something, won't! The US is getting to be an unstable country right now, I feel for those children of God in Bangledesh, but this country is tettering on the brink of national collapse! And if we don't do something about THIS country. WE will be a third world country! God Bless Us All.... As far as your poem, after the first three lines, it is merely a political agenda. It would be the script of a beautiful commercial that would help the plight of Bangledesh children. I'm sorry, but I must be honest.  Grade  C+

[PS]

We keep talking about this one world one love thing and I don't think that people in power want it to happen. It's a big pipe dream and they love to blow the smoke!

Answer 5

I particulary don't like this specific genre of poetry. I like poems that are catchy and rhyme. It takes more talent. This poem anyone could write in 5 minutes. I plead the 5th.

Answer 6

This a tough subject to cover. Your acrostic nicely touches on the human aspect of childhood lost.  Families though to survive rely on everyone working as did our ancestors.  That does not mean that childhood is lost.  To really change we need to address poverty, and human conditions that foster this.  Perhaps you will offer another poem on that?

Answer 7

Your poem addresses a tragic situation. As poets, we have the responsibility to speak to the ills of the world and to offer solutions, as you have done. "Let us love one another" -- will this ever be possible?

Answer 8

strange that you should be offering this to day as I am in the process of applying for a volunteer teaching position in Bangladesh for the 2009-2010 school year. If I am granted the privilege It will be my swan song. It is getting harder for me to travel.

You poem therefore makes it extra special for me. Thank you!